December Council: Pelagics

Although most of the important pelagic quotas are agreed at meetings involving the main coastal states and at EU/Norway, the Council provides an opportunity to reflect on the fact that the pelagic sector faces some very severe reductions in the coming year, not least a 41% cut in North Sea herring.  More robust science and pressure on the Commission to pay more attention to the unanimous advice of the pelagic RAC will be priorities for 2008.